A Bundeswehr general called on Germany to begin training Ukrainians on the Taurus
Germany should, at the very least, begin training Ukrainian personnel to operate Taurus cruise missiles following the drone attack in Leipzig, and make it clear to Moscow that further escalation could lead to the transfer of these missiles to Ukraine.
The general noted that Germany could use the training of Ukrainian personnel as a signal to the Kremlin.
“Experts such as MP Kizewetter—and I myself—have said quite often: we should have at least given the order to begin training Ukrainian personnel to operate the Taurus and informed Putin of this. We could have said: if this or that continues, or if Russia does this or that, we will supply the Taurus,” Wittmann said.
According to him, Ukraine needs the Taurus to strike military targets deep within Russian territory.
Wittmann believes that the Ukrainian army should significantly intensify its strikes against Russian logistics, defense-industrial facilities, launch sites, and military airfields.
“And the Taurus would be exactly the tool needed for this. After all, within a radius of several hundred kilometers, there are a great many stationary military targets and defense-industrial facilities. In addition, the Taurus is one of the few systems of its kind with significant penetration capability,” the general added.
Wittmann also linked the need to strengthen Ukraine’s long-range capabilities to the shortage of missiles for the Patriot systems.
“The current situation is such that, due to a shortage of Patriot missiles—which are virtually the only ones capable of intercepting ballistic missiles—Ukrainian cities have been largely defenseless against Russian ballistic missiles for several weeks now, and this may continue,” he said.
The retired brigadier general also stated that the West has been providing military aid to Ukraine too slowly and in too limited a manner.
“And I’ll put it somewhat dramatically: every day that we in the West provided military support to Ukraine only ‘with the handbrake on’ cost human lives,” Wittmann noted.
He believes that the formula “as much as is needed” should have been supplemented with the principles of timeliness and comprehensiveness of aid.
“The age-old mantra ‘we will help Ukraine as much as needed’ should have been supplemented many years ago with the words: ‘with everything it needs’ and ‘in a timely manner.’ Both of these elements were lacking,” the general emphasized.
Wittmann called on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to return to the position on Taurus that he held while still in the opposition.
“I have already spoken and written publicly that it would be good if the federal chancellor followed through on the statements he made while in the opposition. Just one day before the election, he said that if he became federal chancellor, he would supply the Taurus. But a few days later—no, after all, no,” he emphasized.
The general also sharply criticized the argument that Ukraine’s own long-range systems have supposedly reduced the need for German missiles.
“I find it almost shameful that we, for example, in the words of Defense Minister Pistorius, are saying: Ukraine no longer needs the Taurus because it can do this on its own,” Wittmann stated.
Earlier, in July 2026, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that the transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine was no longer critically necessary. According to him, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are successfully striking targets deep behind Russian lines using their own long-range weapons and drones.
This view was expressed in an interview with Ukrinform by Klaus Wittmann, a retired Bundeswehr brigadier general and professor of modern history at the University of Potsdam.
Earlier, the German Bundestag rejected an initiative by the “Alliance ’90/The Greens” parliamentary faction, which called for the immediate transfer of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, an increase in military and humanitarian aid, and the launch of additional production of Patriot PAC-2 interceptor missiles.
Germany had previously announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine, which includes a three-digit number of air-to-air missiles and additional funding for air defense. Berlin will also continue to supply air defense systems, missiles, and drones as part of existing support programs.
The Danish government has decided to promptly adjust the structure of its defense aid and provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with an additional 15,000 long-range artillery rounds. This was reported by Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
